


Hold On

by WordsToLife



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV 2020)
Genre: Alex Mercer & Luke Patterson & Reggie Peters - Freeform, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Good Friend Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms), Kinda?, Light Angst, Luke Patterson Needs a Hug (Julie and The Phantoms), Mentioned Julie Molina, Protective Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms), Reggie Peters/Luke Patterson - Freeform, So Reggie gives him one, Soft Luke Patterson (Julie and The Phantoms), Songfic, can be read as platonic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-24 07:00:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30068424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WordsToLife/pseuds/WordsToLife
Summary: Reggie knew that music was the way Luke got his feelings out, but when he comes across a song that has been written for a while in the back of the lead guitarist's Song-Journal that he's never seen before, he is left with a lot of questions.
Relationships: Luke Patterson & Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 28





	Hold On

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was inspired by Hold On by Justin Bieber, because I felt like it was a rather fitting song for Luke to write for his boys, especially since it directly mentions the singer having their own baggage and knowing that you need to rely on someone else to help them through it. The song didn't really fit the usual aesthetic of Julie and the Phantoms as a band though, so I tried looking for a version that fit them a bit better. I ended up settling on this amazing cover by Danny Smith on Youtube!: 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS4Sewemim4
> 
> Check it out and give his channel a peak for more amazing covers, too! I'm also incredibly rusty with my writing and I don't really share it that much so any comments or critiques would be appreciated.

It's not like Reggie intended to find the song, he was just trying to leave Luke another 'gift' of one of his own country future-hits. It just so happened that when he opened the song-journal it was on a page with a song he had never seen before.  
  
And sure, he may have kept looking when he realized it was written a while back and for some unknown reason Luke decided not to share it with the others.. but he's a curious guy okay? So sue him for taking a peak at it.  
  
He definitely didn't expect the song to hit him as hard as it did, though. Luke was always a talented writer. He poured his heart and soul into every song he wrote. He was blessed with the ability to breath in air and exhale music in a way that few people could. But this... this was something entirely different than what he expected. It clearly came from a place in Luke's heart that was still raw, even if the lyrics seemed to be trying to portray support for someone else.  
  
Reggie's breath hitched as he kept moving down the page, feeling thrown off at the mention of knowing what it felt like to lose their way, and how Luke had written that he should be the one responsible for making mistakes. The bassist furrowed his brow, trying to make sense of where these feelings may be coming from.  
  
Before he could really come up with an answer he was startled out of his reverie as the sleeveless boy himself poofed into the studio. "Hey, Reg." Luke said easily as he walked toward the raven-haired boy, only to stop in his tracks when he saw Reggie looking in his journal.  
  
Reggie's eyes went wide at the realization he was caught, and he threw the journal on the couch beside him, crossing his legs over one another as he rested them on the table in front of him and feigned nonchalance.  
  
"H-Hey Luke. What's up?" he gave his friend a tight smile, and received only a frown in return.  
  
"Were you going through my song-journal?" Luke questioned, swallowing thickly.  
  
Reggie was screwed. He could lie and say he didn't see anything, but then he'd have to try to pretend he wasn't worried over his band mates lyrics. On the other hand, he knew Luke had a fiery temper. Chances were if he admited he not only found the deeply personal song but also that he was worried about him over it, he'd feel the Wrath of Luke Patterson first hand. He recalled how that didn't go so great when Bobby had found 'Unsaid Emily'. Even with Alex taking Reggie outside to distract him, he could hear the screaming from inside the studio. It had taken weeks for things to get back to normal, and even longer before Luke shared the song with the rest of the band. Then there was how tense he got when Julie discovered the same song later. He felt Luke bristle then, and how fast Alex shut her down before another confrontation broke out.  
  
"I- I was just," he began, stuttering over his words as he always did when he was nervous, "I was leaving you another country song and then I opened it to this song- I didn't mean to read it, it just," he throws his hands up in exhasperation, "worried me, a little bit."  
  
Luke's frown deepened, and Reggie braced himself for the coming storm that was an angry Luke Patterson - but it never came. He looked back up at his friend, and saw that his eyes were already slightly red and swollen. Reggie cursed himself as he slowly stood up, "did you come from your parents?" he asks softly, and Luke just nods timidly in return.  
  
Reggie approaches him slowly with his arms spread out so Luke has time to move away or tell him off, but when the other boy doesn't he envelops him in a hug. Luke is stiff in Reggie's arms, but after a moment he returns it.  
  
"If you want to talk about it - your parents or the song... you know I'm always here for you." Reggie says softly as he steps back. Luke gives a bitter laugh and Reggie's face falls.  
  
Luke watches this and grimaces, evening out his tone, "the song is supposed to be about ME being there for YOU guys, Reg." He sits down on the couch, picking up his book and opening it to that page. Reggie stares at him dumbfounded.  
  
"Wait, it's for ME?" he squeaks, and Luke gives a softer laugh this time.  
  
"You and Alex.. We've all been through so much, Reg. We've had to face loss and heartbreak so young. We literally _died,_ Reg." he looks down at the book in his hands, his face scrunching up. "You know I'm not good at talking about my feelings, I've always done better in song." Luke runs his hand down the page gently, "I wanted you guys to know you can always come to me if you need me. If you wanted to talk. It's something I was working on before we-" his voice breaks as he says it, and Reggie sits beside him, placing a comforting hand on Luke's knee. Luke turns to him then with a soft smile.  
  
"I finished it shortly after we came back, but I just wasn't ready to share it with you guys yet. I guess I was still working through some things." The guitarist admits sheepishly. He places his own hand atop Reggie's and rubs circles into it with his thumb. "I'm not mad that you found it, though." he assures the other boy finally.  
  
Reggie lets out a sigh of relief, then bites his lip as he asks Luke softly, "What did you mean by knowing you should be the one to say we make mistakes, or lose our way?"  
  
Luke stiffens a bit then, and his thumb stops abruptly. Reggie places his other hand on top of the brown-haired boy's, afraid he might try to pull away if he doesn't.  
  
"It's just-" Luke begins, then lets out a shaky breath. "I ran away from home, and I was too stubborn to go back. It was one of the biggest mistakes I ever made. If it wasn't for Julie, I don't think I ever could have gotten closure with my parents..." he trails off for a moment, and when he continues his voice is barely a whisper, "and it was my idea to get those hotdogs-"  
  
Reggie cuts him off by yanking on his hand, "Lucas Patterson don't you DARE finish that train of thought! We all agreed to get hotdogs from that place. It wasn't your fault, what happened." his eyes bore into Luke's own, filled with a burning determination. Luke falters under the passion in them and looks away, so Reggie takes the other boy's hand and puts it over the spot where his own heart should be.  
  
"I mean it, Luke. It's not your fault. The blame isn't on you." realization dawns on Reggie then, "Wait... 'Heaven is a place not too far away.' Is that about our unfinished business?" he asks, his voice much softer now. Luke gives a small shrug and nods.  
  
"When I started the song back in '95, it started off as a song offering my support for you guys, and how I know I mess up sometimes, but I'll still always be there for you. Then when I found it again and went to finish it, it just kinda evolved from there, ya know? I wanted to let you guys know you could lean on me and trust me to find our unfinished business to move on. To fix this, to fix what I broke." his voice cracks as he finishes, fresh tears starting to fall.  
  
Reggie pulls Luke closer, wrapping his arms around him and rubbing circles on his back. "Luke, you don't need to fix anything. We're all here, together. We have a chance to play music again. We met Julie, and Alex met Willie, and sure we had a few hiccups along the way but we've started making something for ourselves," he feels Luke's grip tighten around him, "and yeah maybe one day we will find our unfinished business, but until then we have each other, so of course I'll 'Take your hand and Hold On'" he finishes, pulling back from Luke and giving him a dopey grin.  
  
The Brunette can't help but snort, and he shoves Reggie playfully before rubbing his eyes. "Leave it to you, Reg, to turn my song about being here for you guys back on me." Reggie's grin turns into a bright smile  
  
"It's what we do. We'll always be here for each other."  
  
The two break apart when they hear the sound of another poof, and they turn to see Alex standing their with a raised brow looking at the two of them. He takes in Luke and Reggie's expression and starts to fiddle with the hem of his sweater. "Uh, did I miss something?" he asks softly.  
  
Reggie grins at him and jumps up, going to hug him. He returns it a bit skeptically, looking back at Luke. Reggie joins him, giving the guitarist a reassuring smile. Luke grabs his song book and stands.  
  
"Yeah, uhm. I wrote a new song for the band. Dedicated to you guys." he supplies, with a bit more confidence in his voice, and both Reggie and Luke can see the relief flood through their friend.  
  
"Oh, okay. Well, let's hear it?" Luke shoots Reggie a quick smile and nods, going over to grab his guitar.  
  
_'Sure, Heaven may be a place not too far away.'_ Reggie thinks to himself, but he knows he's not in a hurry to get there.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed this lil drabble. I've had terrible writers block for years now due to some rather -uncomfy- situations in my past so I apologize if it was a rough read, I'm still trying to work through it. 
> 
> Hope you have a lovely day!


End file.
